Alternative Treatments to Chemotherapy

The treatment of cancer has changed a lot throughout the years. Chemotherapy, which uses powerful drugs that kill off or inhibit the growth (multiplication) of cancer cells, was at one time the majority of treatments available to help treat cancer.

Now, there are many other treatment options available as a result of advances in medicine, and each may have advantages for specific types of cancers at specific stages of the disease.

In addition to taking into consideration the type or stage of cancer the patient may be suffering from, oncologists often prescribe combinations of chemotherapy drugs that can work together to help improve treatment outcome by targeting the rapidly dividing cancer cells and controlling the growth of the tumor. Each chemotherapy drug works in various ways to kill or stop the cancer cells from multiplying, and some drugs have been identified as helpful for specific types of cancer.

There are several situations in which chemotherapy might be recommended during the course of a patient's treatment for cancer. For example, doctors may recommend chemotherapy to shrink a tumor before surgery, making it easier to remove from the body. Chemotherapy may also be used after surgery or radiation therapy to kill off any remaining cancer cells, which may reduce the chance of cancer returning. Furthermore, chemotherapy by itself may be the preferred method of treatment for some types of cancer.

Not everyone is comfortable with chemotherapy, even though it is very effective. Some patients consider other treatment options because they fear side effects and how the treatment will affect them.

Reasons Why Patients Search for Alternatives to Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy medicines are designed to kill all fast-growing cells in the body, including cancer cells. However, the medications may also kill some of the normally fast-growing healthy cells in the body. Therefore, patients will often experience many side effects while undergoing chemotherapy or after they have completed treatment.

The most commonly reported side effects of chemotherapy include hair loss, fatigue, weakness, problems with digestion, appetite loss, weight changes, and emotional instability. Other side effects may include diarrhea, constipation, or sores on the inside of the mouth, which can make it difficult for the patient to eat or swallow.

In some instances, chemotherapy may also harm the patient's nerves, kidneys, lungs, or heart. Some patients may have problems with fertility or develop anemia because of the treatment. While most side effects will go away after treatment ends, patients may have complications that last longer than normal.

Chemotherapy sometimes damages the cells that make new blood. Patients who have had their bone marrow damaged by chemotherapy may need a stem cell transplant to help them create healthy blood after the completion of their treatment. This is more likely if they were also treated with radiation therapy.

Many patients look for other ways to treat cancer because these challenges do not allow them to manage their disease well. Some people turn to complementary therapies such as yoga, acupuncture, meditation, massage, aromatherapy, and tai chi. While these methods may help patients feel better and relieve stress, they generally are not considered first-line cancer treatments and are supportive only.

Alternative Cancer Treatment Options

While surgery and chemotherapy remain critical components of many cases of cancer, there are growing numbers of innovative treatment modalities that provide patients with options in the fight against this devastating disease, with the potential for fewer side effects. Below are some of the most commonly mentioned alternatives to Chemotherapy.

Radiation Therapy

Radiation therapy (also called Radiotherapy) is another one of the most commonly used forms of treatment for cancer, after Chemotherapy. Radiation Therapy (Radiotherapy) typically uses very high-energy radiation in order to kill cells or shrink tumors.

It may be used in different types of cancer, either as a first-line option for treatment or in conjunction with a combination of surgery and Chemotherapy. The radiation energy that is delivered through radiation therapy can be provided as X-rays, gamma rays, or charged particles.

It works by damaging the DNA of cancer cells, preventing them from reproducing. The radiation from Radiation Therapy is delivered with a high degree of precision, so it can deliver the radiation directly to the tumor and minimise any exposure to nearby normal tissue.

It can generally be divided into three main categories: External Beam Radiation Therapy, Internal Radiation Therapy, and Systemic Radiation Therapy.

External Beam Radiation Therapy

External beam radiation therapy is the type of radiation therapy used most often. In this type of treatment, radiation is delivered from outside of the patientâ€™s body by an external radiation machine called a linear accelerator.

Computerised Treatment System - This is a common use of advanced technology for treating many injuries/conditions. Most patients will receive multiple sessions, typically over several weeks. It depends on both the type of cancer being treated AND where it is located.

A few of the advanced techniques in external beam radiation therapy (EBRT)would include:

Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT)
Image-Guided Radiation Therapy (IGRT)
Tomotherapy
Proton Therapy
Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS)
Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT)

Stereotactic Treatment of tumor can be very beneficial in that it allows a high level of precision when treating a small tumor. When used for a brain tumor the procedure is called Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS); however, when used on other areas of the body, it is called Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT).

This procedure has a high amount of radiation directed towards the tumoronly and therefore, helps minimise damage done to unhealthy tissue near the tumor as well as any possible side effects as a result of that direction of radiation.

Internal Radiation Therapy (Brachytherapy)

Brachytherapy is similar to other forms of radiation therapy, as it involves placing a radioactive source; however, the radioactive source will be placed inside the body, directly near the cancerous mass.

Due to the proximity of the radioactive source when treating a cancerous tissue, the physician can provide a higher dose of radiation to the tumor while reducing any exposure to the healthy tissue around it. Brachytherapy is utilised frequently to treat prostate and cervical, tumors as well as some head/neck tumors.

Systemic Radiation Treatment

Systemic radiation therapy is a type of treatment that uses radioactive agents that can travel through the bloodstream to reach and kill cancer cells. In most cases, these agents can be given by mouth or injected.

Radioactive iodine therapy is an example of systemic radiation that is commonly used for thyroid cancer treatment. Other times, radioactive substances can be attached to monoclonal antibodies (proteins produced by immune cells) that bind to and target cancer cells. When the antibody is bound to the cancer cell, it can deliver radiation directly to that area.

Immuno Therapy

Immunotherapy is one of the newest types of treatments for cancer, and it is sometimes called biological therapy. Unlike chemotherapy, where the cancer cell itself is attacked directly by the chemotherapy drug, immunotherapy works by increasing the strength of the body's immune system, allowing the body's own immune system to attack the tumor.

The types of substances used in immunotherapy are either naturally produced by the body or created in a lab. The purpose of these substances is to stimulate the immune system so that it can attack cancer cells more effectively.

The use of immunotherapy in the treatment of cancer has been shown to provide benefits such as:

Strengthened immune response to the cancer
Slowed down the growth of cancer cells
Prevention of the cancer from spreading to other parts of the body
Prevention of new cancer development

Some common types of immunotherapy include monoclonal antibody therapy, cancer vaccines, oncolytic virus therapy, and T-cell therapy.

How MediGence Supports Patients

The MediGence Platform provides an array of veterinary services that aid in selecting treatment options, locating qualified physicians and healthcare facilities, and providing patients with support throughout their treatment journey.

While the primary goal of the platform is to connect patients with healthcare providers, it also allows patients to have all of their travel, accommodation, airport, appointment, and diagnostics arrangements made while waiting for treatment.

In addition, MediGence works with hospitals and surgeons who have successfully performed thousands of surgeries, so they will feel comfortable receiving the best possible care within the framework set by those within the MediGence system.

MediGence is built around three core tenets: transparency, ethical medical practices, and the protection of patient confidentiality, which are honoured by every member of the MediGence community. Patients have the option to receive additional non-medical assistance, such as nutrition counselling, rehabilitation services, and assistance with their travels while visiting MediGence.

With the MediGence system and its affiliates, patients will have access to advanced treatment options and highly trained medical professionals, enabling them to make well-informed decisions about their cancer treatment. Each patient has several treatment options available, based on advanced intervention methods, to achieve the most successful outcomes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common alternatives include Radiation Therapy, Immunotherapy, targeted therapy, hormone therapy, and, in some cases, surgery. The best option depends on the type and stage of cancer.

Immunotherapy boosts or modifies your immune system so it can recognize and attack cancer cells more effectively, rather than directly destroying them like chemotherapy.